Memories
by McFinnagen
Summary: Lee and Kiba had been friends ever since they could remember, but then they decide it's better for them if they call it quits, and Lee has to go through his high school years alone. AU
1. Chapter 1

_The young boy sat in the very back of the classroom, seemingly displeased by the seating arrangements. It was fifth period, science, and the teacher had seated him with a taller brunette, the same boy he had spent most of his life with, his former best friend, Kiba Inuzuka. He picked up his pencil and began to tap its lead against the desk, anxiously staring ahead at the chalk board lying in front of the two. Lee wanted nothing more than to get away from the boy, to finish his day and return to the confines of his own room._

_Since the two males began their high school days as freshmen they had made a mutual agreement through grunts and low murmurs, stating that this year was going to be different. They would stop hanging around each other as much, filter into different social groups, and perhaps even make new friends. As much as Lee hated the idea he agreed to these terms for Kiba's sake, to save what little reputation the boy had left. _

_But he couldn't help but remind himself of how they first met, and he wondered for a moment if Kiba thought of it himself. It was in the middle of their fourth year, and as usual Lee had been getting picked on for his unusually bushy eyebrows._

* * *

"_Why don't you just shave those things already, they're creepy." _

_Lee sat on the bench overlooking the playground, ignoring the Uchiha's rude comments. He was use to this; the boy had ridiculed him ever since the start of the New Year, and the other children often felt compelled to join him. Sakura joined in on his act, and laughed at every single one of his insults, seemingly trying to impress her classmate. _

_The two pointed and laughed, calling him name after name. There was bushy brow, caterpillar eyes and fuzz face, the typical elementary insults. He sat and continued to focus on the other children playing, unaware of how his actions were affecting the other male. _

_Sasuke, growing seemingly irritated, drew back his fist and threw it at the dark haired child, stopping only inches from his face. A crooked grin played against his lips as he held his clenched fist close, brushing it against the tip of Lee's delicate nose. _

_Lee, startled, slowly hoisted himself up onto his feet, and gazed into the Uchiha's eyes. His knees were bucking from underneath him, his legs trembling, but still he could not turn away from a fight. _

_He thought of how Gai would look at him if he allowed himself to come home battered and bruised. Honestly, the child was growing tired of the senseless harassment and for once in his life decided to put an end to it. _

_The young Uchiha lowered his arm and prepared himself for battle, and the two glared at one another for a long moment. Lee was the first to draw back his arm, to ready himself for a punch against the boy's jaw, but before he could another fist flew by his face, and he watched with amazement as Sasuke staggered back, hitting the pavement. _

_Sakura was the first to scream, and in a flash students crowded around the three. They whispered and pointed but Lee couldn't care less. He was lost in thought as he focused on the brunette before him who simply grinned. _

_The child glanced towards Lee, and tucked his hands behind his head as he victoriously shouted into the wind. It wasn't long after that until a teacher came and escorted the boy to the office. _

_Lee had shown up in front of the principal that day with tears in his eyes, begging her not to suspend Kiba, he was only defending him from the bully, he had started it all. After much consideration she suspended them all, and Lee spent those days in the office catering to his new and only true friend._

* * *

_He chuckled to himself, and slowly glanced towards Kiba. The taller brunette was sitting back in his chair, fixated on the teacher who continued to explain some sort of lesson. He sighed deeply and turned towards Lee, the browns of his eyes passing his old friend's as he focused on the window. Lee turned quickly and decided to focus on the teacher. Surely he had caught him staring, but why should he care? It wasn't like they were still friends. _

_He knew the thought should relax him, put his mind at ease, but something about it bothered him. He had so many memories with the boy, yet now that they were older, Kiba had outgrown him. He was just a phase, so why couldn't Lee say the same about him? _

_The bell rang and Lee sprang to his feet, his chair screeching across the tile. He grabbed at his bag and hurried across the classroom to the door where he pushed passed the crowd and made his way out into the hall. His next class was English, and surely that would go by fast. _

_He breathed in deeply and began down the hall, by passing the many students who passed him by. He glanced towards the occasional female, or male, and thought of introducing himself, but the thought scared him. What if they didn't like him? What if they found a reason not to like him? How would he go about making new friends? He shook his head in an attempt to quiet the thoughts, and found himself bumping into a young purple haired woman, who blushed immediately after seeing him. He apologized as did she, and the two made their way towards the same classroom where they sat seats apart from each other. _


	2. Chapter 2

_By the end of the second week he had learned her name. She was Hinata Hyuuga, and the two began hanging out every day at lunch, and even spent minutes together before and after school. By this time Lee had become blatantly obvious of the feelings she harbored for him, and he returned them to some extent, but there was something holding him back. She was beautiful, with her delicate features, and that same kind smile that warmed his heart, but even then something was still missing. He had feelings for her, and decided to take a chance on it. As Gai once said, you never know until you try. _

_He had made arrangements for them to meet at the library, the quietest place on campus, the same place where they often spent their afternoons studying. He would slip her a textbook, their literature book, and ask her to explain a certain story, as he did she would flip to the corresponding page, where a note would be lying, and in his messy writing the words 'Will you go out with me' will be plastered on the torn notebook paper. It was all perfect and surely it would be to Hinata's liking. _

_When lunch hour came around the two picked a spot farthest away from everybody else, ensuring it to be secluded, and that was when he put the plan into action. She flipped through their lit book and stopped on a page where a note stuck out from the rest. The young Hyuuga raised an eyebrow questionably, looking to her friend for some kind of reassurance. He nodded and she slowly reached for the note, scanning the messy writing for any significance. After rereading it again and again her pale cheeks turned a rosy red, and her eyes met with his. _

_She smiled and for a moment he felt at ease, and then she reached for his hand, and grasped it within her own. _

"_L-Lee." She stuttered, her cheeks turning an even darker shade of red, "Y-Yes, I'll go out with y-you." _

_He smiled and the two began to pack their things. On the way out of the library he grabbed for her hand, and intertwined his fingers with hers. They felt nice against his icy cold fingertips, and he thought back to his old friend one winter afternoon while he was watching the brunette play on the playground._

* * *

_Back when he was younger Lee was never one for participating in sports or generally anything involving another person, but when it came to his friend, he followed him like a lost puppy looking for shelter. It was chilly that day, and he had forgotten his jacket at home, leaving him cold and exposed to the icy winds. _

_He had picked a seat atop a bench, closest to the playground. Kiba was hogging the slide with his "none shall pass" order, upsetting all the other children, eventually getting him kicked from the slide. Hurriedly, he rushed over to Lee and begged him to join him on the swings, where they would take turns pushing each other. _

_Lee shivered and shook his head, ducking his head low as he sneezed into the fabric of his shirt. This caused his friend to raise a thin brown eyebrow, and soon he was freeing himself from a pair of mittens, leaving his fingers bare. He handed them to Lee, who quickly refused the boy's generous offer. _

"_But then you'll be cold." The dark haired boy argued, shivering once again. "You keep them." _

_Kiba was silent for a moment, before slipping one of his mittens over the exposed flesh of his fingertips. Then he gave the other one to Lee, forcibly slipping the boy's trembling hand into the soft warm cloth. _

"_We'll share." He spoke, baring the same goofy grin. With that said he grabbed at Lee's hand and led him to the playground, where he resumed his reign over the slide. The two sat atop the play structure, hogging the slide until the bell rang. At first Lee didn't want to leave, he had never had so much fun with another person, but Kiba had again grabbed at his hand, and tugged him down the steps, eventually leading him back to their classroom._

* * *

_The two had made it out of the library and to the quad, where many of the teens sat. Heads turned and whispers began, spreading throughout the school. Many thought they were cute together, but among those wandering eyes he spotted Kiba who sat at the popular table, seemingly bored with whatever topic they were discussing. His head turned just in time to catch the couple, and for a brief second he nodded towards Lee, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. _

_It was his approval, his way of praising the boy for something he'd done. Kiba accepted this, and Lee had the sudden urge to start up a conversation, but something held him back. _

_As much as he wanted to say differently, they were no longer friends; Just acquaintances that just so happened to share a class. He was the nerd, and Kiba was the jock, two strangers from two completely different worlds, and it was time Lee started treating him as such. But then again, was it strange to acknowledge someone's existence with a friendly wave? _

_He lifted up his free arm and waved in Kiba's general direction, a feeling of mixed emotions running through him. He wasn't sure what kind of emotion showed itself, but he assumed it to be a good one, because at this action Kiba grinned. _

_The bell rang and Hinata tugged at his arm, leading him off. Lunch was over, and the two would have to head back to their classrooms, first science and then English, his final class for the day. _


End file.
